The Matson Halverson Christiansen Hamilton Foundation (MHCH) is the result of
a successful multi-generational Farming and Ranching agri-business that
spans over 100 years of South Dakota history.
The history begins with immigrants from Norway and Sweden
who, like many others, migrated to the Northern Plains region during
the 1800s for a chance to farm or ranch.
The Matson family initially settled south of Reliance,
South Dakota. Matt Matson worked on the railroad and saved money
to buy a ranch near Iona. Matt was later killed on his property by
cattle
rustlers. He and his sister Christine are both depicted in the novel
“The Homesteaders” written by Kate and Virgil D. Boyles which tells
the story of Matt’s murder and Christine tenaciously shooting out
of the windows of their home all night to protect herself and an
8 year
old foster child living with them for the summer. In the morning,
the small child successfully escaped to find help. Later a posse
was formed
which captured the two men. This was one of the first cattle rustling
cases in the state of South Dakota and established a legal precedent
for how cattle rustling cases would be handled. Matt’s and Christine’s
brother, Olin Matson, attended photography school in Sioux City,
Iowa and
later opened a photography studio along with other businesses in
Kimball, South Dakota.
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| Matson Family | Christine Matson Halverson | Matt Matson |
The Halverson family settled north of Kimball, South Dakota
in the late 1880’s and then moved to town after “proving up” their
land claim. In the late 1890’s Halver Halverson married Christine
Matson. Olin Matson, and Halver and Christine Halverson were all
equal business
partners and owners of the Kimball General Store. This is another
testament to Christine’s strong willed and capable nature as it
was very uncommon
during this era for women to be treated as equals among men in
any setting and most especially in business. The Halversons also owned
a car dealership, implement business, and several buildings in
Kimball.
Halver and Christine had one child, Helen Halverson who was born
in 1905 in Kimball, South Dakota. Helen graduated from the University
of Wisconsin with a law degree in 1929. She worked for the Federal
Land Bank in Omaha and would commute to Omaha once a week from Kimball
as well as doing contract and probate work in her own office in
Kimball. Helen spent a semester teaching at USD and also received
a Masters
in English from USD. Helen traveled the world on cruise ships in
the early 1940’s.
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| Helen Halverson | Halver Halverson |
The Christiansen’s moved to Platte, South Dakota from
Nebraska in 1903. Dewey Christiansen was one of 11 children. He
started in the cattle business in his early teens and had a reputation
for
being a very effective businessman. Dewey Christiansen and Helen
Halverson married in 1953. Dewey and Helen had one child, Christine
Christiansen
who was born in 1955. Christine Christiansen attended Smith College
where she received a BA in Philosophy and the University of Arizona
where she received her MBA in entrepreneurship.
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| Dewey Christiansen | Helen Halverson Christiansen and her daughter, Christine Christiansen Hamilton |
Dewey Christiansen died in 1987 and Helen Christiansen died in
2001. At the time of their deaths the Matson, Halverson and Christiansen
agribusiness consisted of approximately 33000 acres of farm and
ranch
land located in five counties in south central South Dakota.
Dr. Edward Hamilton and Christine Christiansen married
in 1998. They reside on their ranch near Oacoma, South Dakota,
and have four daughters and five grandchildren. Dr. Hamilton
is a veterinarian
and former professor of veterinary science at SDSU. Christine continues
to manage the family agribusiness which today consists of farming,
ranching, and a wholesale meat business located in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Their children and grandchildren make frequent visits to South
Dakota and are involved in the family foundation. Their daughter,
Corey, is
the development specialist for the foundation.
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| Eddie & Christine Hamilton |